Motor boat



May 14, 1929. A. F. DURAND MOTOR BOAT Filed Jan. 5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 14, 1929.

A. F. DURAND MOTORl BOAT Filed Jan. 5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 atented May i4,

AR'I'HR F. DURAND, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MOTOR BOAT.

Appneanon inea January 5, 1927. serial No. 159,085.

This invention relates to motor boats, and more particularly to those adapted for high y speed.

An object of the invention is to provide a motor boat having a multiplevkeel hull, the bottom of which is of the invertedW-type, having parallel, vertical sides, being oomposed in eil'ect of two transposed, longitudinal halves of one boat disposed at opposite sides of another boat, thus providing three lceels with the two inverted V bottoms bew tween said heels, forming in edect an inverted W-bottom boat of the soecalled seasled type.

Another object is to provide an air propelled boat in which the air propeller is disposed as low down as possible at the stern oT the boat, to more nearly approximate the propulsion by an ordinary water propeller,

and to thereby render the boat more stable and less liable to roll over.

Another object is to provide an air propeller having a guard therefor, 'arranged and constructed to prevent injury to persons in or out ot the boat, as well as to prevent the water troni striking the air propeller when the boat is running, especially in a heavy sea.

Anotherobjeot is to provide motor boat in which the engine weight is disposed as tar iliorward in the bow ot the boat as possible, in which the propeller mounted directly on the rear end of the long engine .sha-ft which entends trom the engine to the stern olf the boat, so that under high speed the momentum will. tend to keep the boatl head on, like an arrow weighted at its head, and in which the said propeller is preferably an air propeller, for with the engine set forward in the bow ot the boat the long engine shaft does not have to be tilted upvery much to position its rear end portion just above `the stern of the boat, whereby substanti ally only one halt olf the air propeller' extends above the stern ot the boat, the lower halt being iininedt ately behind the stern. y

lt is also an object to provide certain de tails and features ot construction tending to increase the general efficiency and the de sirability of motor boats of this particular character. i y

To the foregoing and other useful ends, 'the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,-`

Fig. l is a plan of a motor boat embodying the principles of the invention. y Fig. 2 is a side elevation of said boat, showing the saine atrestin the water.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 8-3 in l. g y

Fig. d is a transverse section on line 444i in Fig. l. i

VFig. 5 is a transverse sect-ion on line 5--5 in Fig. l.

Fig. G is a view similar to Fig'. 2, but showing the boat nioving at high speed in the water.

its thus illustrated, and looking at Fig. l, it will be seen that the hull oit the boat in ellect composed oit two Anarrow boats, one narrow boat having been divided longitndinally, and the two halves thus lforined having been transposed and placed at opposite sides ot the other narrow boat, the dotted lines l and 2 indicating the sides off the two halves which have been transposed, and the dotted lines 3 and 4t indicating the sides ot the narrow boat which was, so to speelt, left intact, and which serves as the central portion of the hull of the boat. In other words, a boat of the so-called sea-sled type, but having three heels, instead of two, is in oll'eot made by taking two narrow boats olf goed lines, eac-h with a tapered and well formed bow and a stern ol any suitable toi-ination, and each with a central keel., and, 'liguratiyely speaking, splitting one boat centrally and longitudinally to forni two longitudnal halves, which halves are then transposed and arranged at opposite sides ot' the other narrow boat. `Then the central boat and the two lateral halves are merged together by cutting down their adjacent sides, and by Vtilling in between their bow portions and their stern portions so that cross seeti ons ot the entire boat structure will be ot' the character shown in Figs. 3, d and 5 ol the drawings. This forms what may be called an inverted Vil-bottoni, or a double inverted V bottom, as shown in these cross sections, with the threeeqnidistant keels 5, 6 and 7, as shown. The cross section on line 3--3 in Fig. l shows the tapering, center bow portion 8, and shows tho tapering, lateral bow portions 9, as well., the two transposed halves ot the said longitudinally divided boat being closed at their outer sides by parallel, vertical walls in the manner-shown, whereby the boat has vertical, parallel sides that, like any sea-sled type boat,ftend to make the boat a dry one in a rough seal. Farther back, at a section on line 4 4 1n Fig. 1, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the interior of the f boat becomes more roomy, as the connections 'l1 between the adjacent sides oi the said mid- .dle boat hull and the two outer transposed halves are lower down, of course, than they are at 12inFig. 3 of the dra-wings. The section at line 5 5 in Fig..1, as shown in Fig. of tlie drawings, brings the connections between the middle boat hull and the two outer halves somewhat higher, as at 13, so that the somewhat narrow stern portion 14 of the Y`middle boat-hull section is well defined in cross section, and the two inverted V-spaces Varev much higher.

' In this way a sea-sled type boatis provided comprising a longitudinal, central boat-hull section with tapered how and suitable stern formation, and comprising transposed, longitudinal boat-hull halves forming lateral or f outside boat-hull sections, with the three v boat-hull sections connected at their adjacent lof the boat must be cut down considerably,

so that the inverted V-space between the keels is reduced considerably in height, in order to obtain room in therboat for the engine and passengers and other things. However, withthe construction shown and described, which is illustrative oi one form of the invention, the two inverted V-spaees between the keels may be of any desired height which in practice will give the best results, and at the same time the longitudinal, central portion of the boat maybe of full depth, as the space here may extend clear down to the center or inid- Adie keel of theboa-t. In'Figs. 2 and (i, tor

example, the dotted line 15 rei reseiits the connection l11, 12and 13, as shown in Figs. 3,

4' and 5, andshows that thisconiieetion is Ylow down for the greater portion ot the length of the boat, but' is higher up in the bow and stern portions of the boat, as illus- VtratedV in the cross sections, Figs. 3, 4 and 5 'of the drawings. y

When ythe boat is'running at vfull speed, it preferably assumes about the position shown in Fig. 6 ot the drawings, and for this purpose the keels are made deeper at the bow of the boat than they are at the stern, so that the keels will be about horizontal when the boat is running at full speed, thus keeping the keels in the water at the how, notwithstanding that the bow rises when the boat is going at iull speed.

The boat may he propelled by any suitable power, but is well adapted for propulsion hy an air propeller, and for this purpose the engine 16 is preferably mounted as far torwa rd in the bow oic the boat as ossible, and the long, straight engine shaft l? is tilted upward just enough to enable it to extend over the stern of the boat aiid be supported in a bearing 1S mounted on the stern in any suitable or desired manner. The air propeller 19 is ot anyY suitable or desired character, and is secured to the end of' the shaft 17 immediately in rear of the stern of the boat, and with this arrangement only about half ot the propeller extends above the stern of the boat, and the other halt is immediately behind the stern. as shown. A sheet-metal, cylindrical hood or guard is mounted on the stern of the bout to enclose the air propeller, this guard being open at its front 21 and provided with a crating or grill work 22 to prevent access of persons or things to the revolving propeller. 1t will be seen that the under portion of the guard or hood 2O at the water line. when the boatis standing still, as in Fig. 2. but when the boat is running at high speed the bottom portion of this guard 20 is depressed into the Yatei somewhat; but with the boat running at high speed the water will not enter, and the blast of air from the propeller is low down and behind the stern of t ie boat and against the water.

The rudder 23 is preferably hinged eentrally to the guard 20, as shown, and extends into the water a distance, so that it is both an air and a. water rudder, and is controlled by the steering wheel 24. through the medium of any suitable connection (not shown) to si eer the boat to the right or the lett at will. "ith this construction, t-lie weight of the engine. and of the propeller is all placed low down in the boat, so that the boat is stable and seaworthy and is not liable to roll over. Some boats having air propellers are made toplieavy, because ot the high position ot the air propeller and the engine, and are not adapted for anything but smooth water. However. with the construction shown and described` which is illustrative ot one form of the invention, the boat, while driven by an air propeller, is nevertheless capable of safe and comfortable travel in rough water. The weight of the engine in the bow of the boat keeps it head on, as against wind or waves. much like an arrow weighted at its head, and the triple bow and keel and bottoni formation cut the water and prevent pounding` which is one trouble with Hat-bottomed boats, and the flat, straight, parallel. sides of the boat, which are characteristic Vof the sea-sled type oi' boat, do not throw the water, but make the boat a dry one in rough water.

In order thatthe propeller may have plenty of air ahead of it, and may breathe, so to speak, the stern portion of the boat is preferably grooved or cut down or recessed, as shown at in Fig. 5, andas indicated by the dotted line 26 in Fig. 6 of the drawings. In this way the air propeller is kept working at full atmospheric pressure, and is not pocketed, so to speak, behind the stern oi' the boat. i

Thus, in plan view, as shown in Fig. l, the boat is rectangular in shape, with straight parallel sides and with straight transverse ends, or at least with a blunt bow and stern. The middle hull section, indicated by the lines 3 and 4, has a tapered bow, and this hull section is also tapered toward the stern, and theouter, t ansposed boat-hull halves are or' similar formation, so that the triple bow is formed by three forwardly tapered bows, and the triple stern is formed by three rearwardly tapered stern portions. The shaft 17 istilted upward just enough, of course, to enable the shaft to extend over the stern off the boat, the engine being placed forward tor this purpose, as well as to give the boat weight in the bow thereof.

Thus the boat has a triple tapered bow, and also a'triple tapered stern, together with a triple keel bottom, each keel lconnecting a bow with a stern. The triple bow is decked over, and the triple stern is likewise decked over, thus providing a continuous deck from the `blunt bow to the blunt stern, with` space below the decking between the three bows, and with space under the decking between the three sterns, in the manner shown. The boat is at least as wide at the bottom as it is at the top thereof, throughout the lengh thereof, so that the sides present no overhang anywhere throughout the length thereof, so far as the actual hull structure is concerned.

VVthout disclaiming anything, and without prejudice to any novelty disclosed, what I claim as my invention is:

1. A. motor boat of the seasled type, formed in eiect by a longitudinal and central boatehull section having a central keel and a tapered bow, disposed betwen two transposed longitudinal boat-hull halves forming lateral boat-hull. sections, with the three sections merged together at their adjacent sides, with the straight parallel sides oi the boat as a whole terminating at their lower edges in keels which are parallel with said central keel, the three sections of the boat being of the saine length, whereby in plan the boat as a whole is rectangular with parallel sides and a blunt bow and stern.

2. A structure as specified in claim l, said outersides of the boat as a whole being vertical, and the spaces between said keels being of inverted V-forination of minimum, height midway between the bow and stern of the boat, and of greater height at the bow and stern, providing an inverted W-bottom for the boat.

3. A structure as specified in claim 1, the spaces between said keels being of inverted V- formation, of less height midway between the bow and stern of the boat and of greater height at the bow and stern, Vforming an inverted Wbotto1n`ior the boat.

4. A seal-sled type boat comprising three equidistant parallel keels, with inverted V- spaces between said keels, and vertical parallel sides for the boat, said sides terminating at their lower edges in the two outer keels, and the boat in plan view being rectangulaiwith parallel sides and a blunt bow and stern.

5. A Structure as specified in claim fl, in combinationwith an engine in said boat, an air propeller mounted on the stern oit the boat, and a shaft connecting the engine with the propeller, in the vertical plane of the middle keel of the boat, with the engine arranged forward to minimize the upward tilt necessary for the shaft to extend over the stern oi' the boat.

` G. A structure as specified in claim fl, in combination with an engine in said boat, an air propeller mounted on the stern ot the boat, a shaft connecting the engine with the propeller, in the vertical plane of the middle keel oi the boat, with the engine arranged torward to minimize the upward tilt necessary for the shaft to extend over the stern ot the boat, the blades of the propeller revolving close to the water immediately behind the' stern of the boat, and a guard having a portion thereoi' extending under the propeller to keep the water troni striking the propeller when the boat is in motion.

7. A .motor boat comprising a boat hull, an engine mounted tru-ward in said hull, an air `propeller mounted at the stern of the boat,

disposed so low down that the Ln'opeller blades .revolve `iinuwi'liately heh ind the stern of the boat, so that .substantiallyonly the upper half of the propeller entends above the stern of thehull, and an engine sliaitt comica-,ting the engine to said fn'opi-aller, the stern of the boat being ornied with a cavity in the upper portion to freely feed air to the blades when in their lower position.

8. Astructure as specified in claim 7, and a ,Huard extending over and under said propeller, to prevent injury to persons and things by said propeller, and to prevent the water trom striking the propeller when the boat is in motion. v

9. A Vmotor boat having a plurality of parallel keels which are deeper at the bow of the boat than at the stern thereof, thereby to keep the keels in the water when the bow lbf) rises, `the forward portions of the heels all having flat verticalside surfaces and each .pi-opeller, the vsaid propeller being close to the water behind the stern of the boat, the stern of the boat-being forl'ned with a eavitj,7 in the upper portion to' freely feed.l air to the blades when in their lower position.

11. A structure as speeiiiedin'claiin 10, in

Combinationwithaguard enclosing the propeller andopen at front and rear thereof, the guardhaving a vportion extending under the propeller and serving to 'prevent the water from striking the/.propeller when the boat is in motion.

y12. A structure as specilied in claiin 10, in

. combinationV with a guard enclosing the prov"pell'ei" and openat front and rear thereof, the

guard having a portion extending under the propeller and serving tor preventthc water froin striking the propeller when .the boat is in motion', and a combined air and water rudder hinged-on said guard in the vertical plane of the axis of said propeller.

13. A structure as specified in claim 10, the

boat hull being recessed in the stern portion thereof to feed air downwardly to the blades of the propeller.

14. A boat having a triple bow, Va triple stern, each bow and stern tapered, Vand a triple keel bottoni, each keel connecting a stern withy a bow, the three keels being parallel, and there being space upwardly tapered in vcross section between the keels throughout the length thereof, each outer bow and stern being straight on Vits outer side and tapered on its inner side.

Y 15. A structure as specified in claim 14, the triple bow `being' decked over, and the triple stern being decked over, so that the boat has p a continuous deck from bow to stern thereof.

16. A structure as specified in claim 14, the triple bow being decked over, and the triple stern being decked over, so that the boat has a continuous dee r froni bow to stern thereof, the sides of the bout being straight and Vparallel and terminating at their lower edges in the two outer heels, the bottom of the boat being at least as wide as the distance between the upper edges of the side walls throughout the length thereof.

17. A boat having a triple bow and straight flat sides, the three bows being the same in depth, each outer bow being straight and flat on the outside and tapered on the inside thereof, so that the front edge, of each outer bow is in the plane of the side ofthe bout, the middle bow being tapered on each side thereof, and the spaces between the bows being docked over to in effect form a single bow when viewed froni above.

1S. A boat specified in claim 17, the sides of the boat being straight and parallel tl'iroughout the length thereof, and the beam of the boat at top being no greater than the beani at the bottoni.

.19. A boat as specified in claim 17, compr... ig a stern of substantially the same width o1' beaux as the beam at niidships and at the bow thereof.

E10. A boat as specified in claim 17, each bow having a keel extending rearward a distance,

said heels being pa lallel, and there being spaces between the lteels, each space in cross section tapering upwardly into the hull of the boat.

21. A boat as specified in claim 17, the three bows being the saine in length and in transverse alineinent.

22. A boat having a triple bow, each outer bow being straightand fiat on the outside and tapered on the inside thereof, the middle bow being tapered on each side thereof, and the spaces between the bows being decked over to in effect forni a single bow when viewed from above,-the sides of the boat being flat and parallel from bow to stern, and the two outer heels forming lower edges of said flat sides,

Specification signed this 31st day of Dec., 1926.

ARTHUR F. DURAND. 

